Brush having multiple differently-shaped filaments

ABSTRACT

Brushes may be made by extruding filaments having at least two different cross-sections using a single extrusion mold. The filaments may have different cross sectional shapes and/or sizes. After extrusion, the filaments may be coupled to a brush, such as a cosmetic brush for applying a cosmetic product.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of and claims priority from ChineseApplication No. 201220244616.X, filed May 28, 2012, which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

A cosmetic applicator (e.g., a brush with filaments, hairs, bristles,etc., hereinafter “filaments”) can be used for applying powdered, cream,or liquid cosmetic products. Typically such filaments are all circularto avoid the filaments interlocking so that the cosmetic product can becarried in voids between the filaments.

As shown in FIG. 1A, conventionally a bundle 100 of circular filaments102 are formed via extrusion through a plate. FIG. 1B illustrates such aconventional plate 104 having circular holes 106 such that the desirednumber of circular filaments are produced from the extrusion and thecircular filaments are cut and shaped according to the manufacturer'sneeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanyingfigures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference numberidentifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. Theuse of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similaror identical items.

FIG. 1A depicts a conventional bundle of circular filaments.

FIG. 1B depicts a plate for producing the conventional bundle ofcircular filaments shown in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a mold body for producingmultiple differently-shaped filaments from a front plan view.

FIG. 3A depicts an illustrative embodiment of a mold body for producingmultiple differently-shaped filaments from an angled perspective.

FIG. 3B depicts a magnified detail view of a portion of the illustrativeembodiment of holes of a mold body as shown in FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A depicts an illustrative embodiment of a second mold body forproducing multiple differently-shaped filaments from a front plan view.

FIG. 4B depicts an illustrative embodiment of a mold body for producingmultiple differently-shaped filaments from a side plan view.

FIG. 5 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a bundle of multipledifferently-shaped filaments as can be made from the mold bodiesillustrated in FIGS. 2-4B.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an example brush having multipledifferently-shaped filaments.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of an illustrative process for preparingmultiple differently-shaped filaments employing a mold body such as thatshown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an illustrative process for preparing abrush having multiple differently-shaped filaments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Overview

This disclosure describes a cosmetic applicator brush (e.g., a brushwith multiple differently-shaped filaments, strands, hairs, bristles,etc., hereinafter “multiple differently-shaped filaments”) that can beused for applying powdered, cream, liquid or other cosmetic products,and a mold body and method for making the same.

As noted above, typically cosmetic brush filaments are all circular toavoid the filaments interlocking so that the cosmetic product can becarried in voids between the filaments. The amount of cosmetic productan applicator brush carries per application primarily depends on thesize of void between the filaments and the cosmetic product beingapplied. Multiple applications may be required in order to apply adesired amount of the cosmetic product. While this application describesmultiple differently-shaped filaments for use in a cosmetic brush,multiple differently-shaped filaments according to this application areusable in other applications such as, for example, a mascara applicatorbrush.

The application further describes a method for manufacturing multipledifferently-shaped filaments usable to make brushes employing multipledifferently-shaped filaments. Example mold bodies for manufacturingmultiple differently-shaped filaments are described as circular orrectangular, but other shaped mold bodies can be employed, includingoval, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, etc.

Examples of synthetic materials that may be used to form the multipledifferently-shaped filaments include, without limitation, PolybutyleneTerephthalate (PBT) and/or Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET).

In one example, multiple differently-shaped filaments of a brush mayhave a diameter of at least about 0.04 mm and at most about 0.50 mm. Insome examples, multiple differently-shaped filaments of a cosmetic brushmay have a diameter of at least about 0.04 mm and at most about 0.075mm. However, in other examples, multiple differently-shaped filamentsmay have other greater or smaller diameters.

EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 2 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a mold body for producingmultiple differently-shaped filaments. The mold body 200 includesdifferent shaped holes that provide for extrusion of different shapedfilaments. In the illustrated embodiment, mold body 200 will producefilaments having at variety of cross-sections (multipledifferently-shaped). Holes 202 will produce filaments having a circularcross-section, holes 204 will produce filaments having a quadrilateralcross-section, and holes 206 will produce filaments having a triangularcross-section. Voids 208 between the holes provide for simultaneousproduction of individual multiple differently-shaped filaments duringone extrusion process. In other embodiments, which will also includevoids 208 between the holes a mold body as described herein may haveholes of two or more different shapes. For example, in some embodiments,mold body 200 can include holes to produce filaments of other shapessuch as cross-shaped filaments, oval-shaped filaments, square-shapedfilaments, rectangular-shaped filaments, pentagon-shaped filaments,hexagonal-shaped filaments, octagonal-shaped filaments, etc. While thedifferent shapes are shown in different rings in FIG. 2, in otherembodiments, the holes to produce multiple differently-shaped filamentscan be arranged in a variety of different regions or zones, (e.g.,rings, perimeter distributions, quadrants, zones, regions, in patterns,in random distributions, etc.). In some embodiments, filaments formultiple brushes can be extruded simultaneously from the same mold,e.g., in different regions of a mold body.

FIG. 3A depicts an illustrative embodiment of a mold body for producingmultiple differently-shaped filaments from an angled perspective.

A mold body according to the instant disclosure includes holes having atleast two cross-sectional shapes. In some embodiments the holes areplaced in at least two circles with a first circle having a greaterdiameter than the second circle. The cross-sectional shape of holes inthe first circle being the same as each other, and the cross-sectionalshape of holes in the second circle being the same as each other whilethe cross-sectional shape of the holes in the first circle are differentthan the cross-sectional shape of the holes in the second circle. In theillustrated embodiment, the mold body 200 has holes 202, 204, and 206.Holes 202 are placed in a first circle, holes 204 are placed in a secondcircle, and holes 206 are placed in a third circle; each of the circleshaving a same center point. As shown in FIG. 3A, the circle having holes202 has a diameter greater than the circle having holes 204, which has adiameter greater than the circle having holes 206.

FIG. 3B depicts a magnified detail view of a portion of the illustrativeembodiment of holes of a mold body for producing multipledifferently-shaped filaments as shown in FIG. 3A.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the holes 202, 204, and 206 are arranged such thata row or circle of one shape of holes has an adjacent row or circle of adifferent shape of holes. In addition, in some embodiments, the holeshave a larger cross-sectional diameter on end 302 corresponding to oneface of the mold body than on the other end 304 corresponding to theother face of the mold body. In other words, the holes 202, 204, and 206are tapered. For example, holes through the mold body can be a firstcross-sectional area on the front face and a second cross-sectional areaon the back face. In some embodiments, the first cross-sectional area islarger than the second cross-sectional area.

FIG. 4A depicts an illustrative embodiment of a second mold body forproducing multiple differently-shaped filaments from a frontperspective.

Second example mold body 400 is illustrated with a rectangular shape andincludes a first outside section 402 and a second outside section 404that is encircled by the first outside section 402. In the secondexample mold body 400, outside section 404 contains multiple holeshaving at least two different cross-sectional shapes. Outside section402 can also contain multiple holes having at least two differentcross-sectional shapes that may be the same or different than the atleast two different cross-sectional shapes of holes in outside section404. In some examples, the cross-sectional shapes of two adjacent holesare different.

In some embodiments the shapes in the first outside section 402 are thesame as each other and the shapes in the second outside section 404 arethe same as each other but the shapes in the first outside section 402are different than the shapes in the second outside section 404.

FIG. 4B depicts an illustrative embodiment of a mold body for producingmultiple differently-shaped filaments from a side perspective. The moldbody can represent mold body 200, mold body 400, or another mold body.The mold body has a front face 406 and a back face 408. For example,holes through the mold body can be a first cross-sectional area on thefront face 406 and a second cross-sectional area on the back face 408.In some embodiments, the first cross-sectional area is larger than thesecond cross-sectional area as discussed regarding the ends of holes 302and 304 of FIG. 3B.

The mold body is configured such that synthetic materials that may beused to form the multiple differently-shaped filaments are extrudedthrough the mold body from the front face 406 to the back face 408. Invarious embodiments a mold body has a thickness of at least about tencentimeters (10 cm) and at most about fifteen centimeters (15 cm) fromthe front face 406 to the back face 408. In at least one embodiment amold body has a thickness of around ten centimeters (10 cm) from thefront face 406 to the back face 408.

To produce multiple differently-shaped filaments, the mold body isconnected to the production device and the material, from which thefilaments will be made, such as plastic pellets, is put into thematerial entering point of the device. The material from which thefilaments will be made can be prepared for extrusion by the device. Forexample, the material of the plastic pellets can be changed into liquidsby heat and/or pressure techniques. From the front face of the moldbody, the semi-solid or liquid material can be fed into the multipleholes such that the semi-solid or liquid material flows from the frontface of the holes to the back face of the holes. The material cools andat least partially solidifies as it passes through the mold body. Thus,the material becomes the filaments, in some instances after cooling. Asthe mold has holes with different shapes, the filaments thereby producedare mixed filaments with multiple cross-sectional shapes. Therefore,separate techniques to sort and/or mix the filaments to obtain bundlescontaining filaments of different cross-sectional shapes are not neededin various embodiments. In this way, production of brushes with multipledifferently-shaped filaments of one or more sizes can be accomplished ina simple, cost effective manner at the time the filaments are extracted.

FIG. 5 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a bundle 500 of multipledifferently-shaped filaments 502, 504, and 506 made from a mold bodysuch as that shown in FIGS. 2-4. Formation of filaments using a moldbody like mold body 200 or 400 provides for a bundle of filaments 500having irregular voids 508 between the filaments. Such irregular voids508 may be larger voids than would be produced by a plate having holesto produce the same shape of filaments such as all holes 202, 204, or206.

The bundle 500 of multiple differently-shaped filaments has a randomarrangement, which, for example, can be obtained by compression aboutthe circumference of a bundle of multiple differently-shaped filamentsextruded from mold body 400 or by a rolling compression of a bundle ofmultiple differently-shaped filaments extruded from mold body 200. Insome embodiments, a bundle of multiple differently-shaped filaments mayhave an organized arrangement, which, for example, can be obtained by aneven or uniform compression about the circumference of a bundle ofmultiple differently-shaped filaments as extruded from a mold body suchas mold body 200.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an example brush 600 having multipledifferently-shaped filaments 602 such as those described above. Thebrush 600 includes the multiple differently-shaped filaments 602attached to a housing/handle 604. The housing/handle 604 may be formedusing one or more natural or man-made materials, such as metal, stone,ceramic, plastic (e.g., acrylic, polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrilebutadiene styrene (ABS), or Polyoxymethylene (POM)), glass, wood, orother suitable material. The multiple differently-shaped filaments 602may be fixed directly to the brush handle 604 or via a ferrule in afan-shape, a rectangular-shape, a semi-circular shape, a wedge-shape,another type of geometric-based shape, or any combination thereof. Insome embodiments, the brush 600 may include some individual largermultiple differently-shaped filaments 602 than the other multipledifferently-shaped filaments 602 in the brush.

A cross-section 606 of a group of the multiple differently-shapedfilaments in the brush can include one or more of filament shapes 502,504, 506 and/or additional or alternate filament shapes such ascross-shaped, oval-shaped, square-shaped, rectangular-shaped,pentagon-shaped, hexagonal-shaped, octagonal-shaped, etc. Thecross-section 606 of a group of the multiple differently-shapedfilaments is illustrated as having a random arrangement, which, asdiscussed above, can be obtained by compression about the circumferenceof a bundle of multiple differently-shaped filaments extruded from moldbody 400 or by a rolling compression of a bundle of multipledifferently-shaped filaments extruded from mold body 200. In otherembodiments, the cross-section 606 of a group of the multipledifferently-shaped filaments may have an organized arrangement, which,for example, can be obtained by an even compression about thecircumference of a bundle of multiple differently-shaped filaments asextruded from mold body 200.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of an illustrative process for preparing abundle of multiple differently-shaped filaments employing a mold bodysuch as the mold body 200 or the mold body 400.

In the process 700, each block represents one or more operations thatcan be implemented when manufacturing brush filaments, such as forcosmetics brushes. The order in which the blocks are described is notintended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of thedescribed operations can be combined in any order and/or in parallel toimplement the processes. For discussion purposes, the process 700 isdescribed with reference to the mold body 200 or the mold body 400 andbundle of multiple differently-shaped filaments 500 as described above.

At 702, synthetic material from which multiple differently-shapedfilaments will be formed is prepared. As discussed above, examples ofsynthetic materials that may be used to form the multipledifferently-shaped filaments include, without limitation, PolybutyleneTerephthalate (PBT) and/or Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET),magnetic-resin mixtures such as a resins impregnated or treated withstrontium ferrite, barium ferrite, magnetite and/or hematite, or otherconductive material, or color-changing mixtures such as resinsimpregnated or treated with, a color-changing material such as aphoto-chromatic substance or thermo-chromic substance.

Multiple differently-shaped filaments formed from resins impregnated ortreated with such magnetic-resin mixtures may be used to achieve thebenefits of magnetic therapy as part of the user's daily routine.Moreover, users needn't buy products with magnetized ingredients toreceive benefits of magnetic therapy. Rather, users may simply use abrush having multiple differently-shaped filaments, at least some ofwhich are magnetic, with the cosmetic products they already have to getthe results of magnetic therapy.

Multiple differently-shaped filaments formed from resins impregnated ortreated with such color-changing mixtures may change from a first colorto a second color in response to occurrence of a condition, such asexposure to electromagnetic radiation (e.g., ultraviolet light orinfrared light) or when a temperature of the multiple differently-shapedfilaments impregnated or treated with such color-changing mixtures iswithin a predetermined temperature range. For example, one or moreportions of the multiple differently-shaped filaments may be configuredto change color in response to the occurrence of the condition.

At 704, multiple differently-shaped filaments are formed by extrusionthrough a mold body, such as mold body 200 or the mold body 400. In oneexample, each of the multiple differently-shaped filaments may have adiameter of at least about 0.04 mm and at most about 0.50 mm. In someexamples, multiple differently-shaped filaments may have a diameter ofat least about 0.04 mm and at most about 0.075 mm. However, in otherexamples, individual multiple differently-shaped filaments may haveother greater or smaller diameters.

At 706, a bundle of multiple differently-shaped filaments, such asbundle 500 is formed. In various embodiments the bundle is formed by aneven or uniform compression or by a rolling compression of the multipledifferently-shaped filaments produced from extrusion through the moldbody at 704.

FIG. 8 is an example process 800 of preparing a cosmetic brush usingmultiple differently-shaped filaments, such as the multipledifferently-shaped filaments made by the process 700. As shown in FIG.8, at block 802, lengths of the bundle of the multipledifferently-shaped filaments 500 formed according to block 704 can becut to an appropriate length for the desired brush type.

At block 804, filament tipping may be performed on tips of the cutbundle of multiple differently-shaped filaments according toconventional “filament tipping” techniques to produce multipledifferently-shaped filaments having suitable filament tips.

At block 806, a brush, such as brush 600, is produced by coupling abundle 500 of the multiple differently-shaped filaments to a brushhandle/housing. The bundle 500 of the multiple differently-shapedfilaments may be coupled to the handle/housing directly or by, forexample, a ferrule.

CONCLUSION

Although embodiments have been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the disclosure is not necessarily limited to the specific featuresor acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosedas illustrative forms of implementing the embodiments. For example, invarious embodiments, any of the structural features and/ormethodological acts described herein may be rearranged, modified, oromitted entirely.

What is claimed is:
 1. A brush comprising: a handle; and a plurality ofmultiple differently-shaped filaments coupled to the handle, theplurality of multiple differently-shaped filaments comprising filamentshaving filaments having a first cross-section and filaments having asecond cross section, the second cross section being different from thefirst cross section.
 2. A brush according to claim 1, wherein the atleast two shapes of the multiple differently-shaped filaments includefilaments having at least two of a circular cross-section shape, aquadrilateral cross-section shape, a triangular cross-section shape, across-shaped cross-section, an oval-shaped cross-section, asquare-shaped cross-section, a rectangular-shaped cross-section, apentagon-shaped cross section, a hexagonal-shaped cross-section, or anoctagonal-shaped cross-section.
 3. A brush according to claim 1, theplurality of filaments being spaced apart such that voids are presentbetween the filaments of the plurality of filaments.
 4. A brushaccording to claim 3, wherein the voids between the multipledifferently-shaped filaments facilitate product uptake between themultiple differently-shaped filaments.
 5. A brush according to claim 1,wherein the multiple differently-shaped filaments comprise across-sectional area of at least about 0.05 mm and at most about 0.25mm.
 6. A brush according to claim 1, wherein filaments of the pluralityof multiple differently-shaped filaments having a differentcross-sectional area include filaments of the plurality of multipledifferently-shaped filaments having a same cross-section shape.
 7. Abrush according to claim 1, wherein at least a first of the at least twoshapes of the multiple differently-shaped filaments comprises across-sectional area of between about 0.05 mm and about 0.10 mm and atleast a second of the at least two shapes of the multipledifferently-shaped filaments comprises a cross-sectional area at leastabout 0.15 mm and at most about 0.25 mm.
 8. A brush according to claim1, wherein the multiple differently-shaped filaments comprise at leastone of Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) and/or PolyethyleneTerephthalate (PET).
 9. A brush according to claim 1, wherein themultiple differently-shaped filaments comprise magnetic filaments.
 10. Abrush according to claim 1, wherein the multiple differently-shapedfilaments comprise color-changing filaments.
 11. A method comprising:preparing a resin for extrusion; and extruding the prepared resinthrough a mold body having holes of multiple different shapes to obtainmultiple differently-shaped filaments.
 12. A method according to claim11, wherein the resin for extrusion comprises Polybutylene Terephthalate(PBT).
 13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the at least twoshapes of the multiple differently-shaped filaments include filamentshaving a circular cross-section shape, a quadrilateral cross-sectionshape, a triangular cross-section shape, a cross-shaped cross-section,an oval-shaped cross-section, a square-shaped cross-section, arectangular-shaped cross-section, a pentagon-shaped cross section, ahexagonal-shaped cross-section, or an octagonal-shaped cross-section.14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the multipledifferently-shaped filaments comprise a cross-sectional area of at leastabout 0.05 mm and at most about 0.25 mm.
 15. A method according to claim11, wherein the multiple differently-shaped filaments comprisePolyethylene Terephthalate (PET).
 16. A method according to claim 11,wherein the multiple differently-shaped filaments include magneticfilaments and/or color-changing filaments.
 17. A method according toclaim 11, further comprising coupling the multiple differently-shapedfilaments to a handle.
 18. A mold body comprising: a substrate; aplurality of holes in the substrate for extrusion of filaments, whereinthe plurality of holes include at least two shapes to obtain multipledifferently-shaped filaments.
 19. A mold body according to claim 18,wherein the at least two shapes of the plurality of holes include acircle, a quadrilateral, a triangle, a cross shape, an oval-shape, asquare shape, a rectangular shape, a pentagon shape, a hexagonal shape,or an octagonal shape.
 20. A mold body according to claim 18, whereinthe plurality of holes on a front side of the mold body are larger thanthe corresponding holes on a back side of the mold body.
 21. A mold bodyaccording to claim 18, wherein the plurality of holes are arranged in atleast two arrangements having a same center point such that a firstarrangement of the at least two arrangements has a first area and asecond arrangement of the at least two arrangements has a second area,which differs from the area of the first arrangement.
 22. A mold bodyaccording to claim 21, wherein at least one of the two arrangementsincludes a circular arrangement, an oval arrangement, a rectangulararrangement, a pentagon arrangement, a hexagon arrangement, an octagonarrangement, or a perimeter arrangement.
 23. A mold body according toclaim 21, wherein the first arrangement contains holes having a firstshape and a second shape, and the second arrangement contains holeshaving a third shape.
 24. A mold body according to claim 21, wherein thefirst arrangement contains holes having a first shape and a secondshape, and the second arrangement contains holes having the first shape.25. A mold body according to claim 21, wherein the first arrangementcontains holes having a first shape, and the second arrangement containsholes having a second shape.